Published: 20230503
Date:
2023-05-03
Photographer:
Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Lithuania / Robertas Dačkus and Palace of the Grand Dukes
The international exhibition The Tapestries of Sigismund Augustus in Vilnius, opened at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Extraordinary in size and scope, growing into a legend over the centuries, the tapestry collection of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus (1544/1548–1572) is the oldest national relic of the Polish-Lithuanian state. In contemporary Poland, the tapestry collection is known as an art treasure, the most important accent in the permanent expositions at the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, while the exhibition of such a collection in Lithuania is a historic event for both Lithuania and Poland, a neighbouring state’s gift on the occasion of Vilnius’ 700th anniversary.
The opening of this exceptional exhibition at the Palace of the Grand Dukes attracted the attention of almost half a thousand art specialists, exhibition partners and friends of the museum. The last time Sigismund Augustus’ tapestries decorated his Vilnius residence was during the reign of the Vasa dynasty, so the return of such a large collection, numbering almost 40 historical textiles, to the Lithuanian capital is the first of its kind in 400 years.
Exhibition patrons – the Presidents of the Republic of Lithuania and of the Republic of Poland
